Mail-chute.



ALK. SMITH.

MAlL GHUTE. APPLICATION FILED MAY26,1910.

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ARTHUR K. SMITH, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR T0 CUTLER MAIL CHUTECOMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NE'W YORK.

MAIL-CHU'IE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6, 1915.

Application filed May 26, 1910. Serial N 0. 563,583.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR K. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Mail-Chutes, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in whichFigure l is a side elevation of my improved chute. Fig. 2 is a sectionalview on the line A--A Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showingthe parts in another position. Fig. 4 is a view of my improved chuteshowing a modified form in horizontal section.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in mail chutes,the object being to so construct the chute that access may be gained tothe interior for the purpose of repair or to remove any obstructionstherein.

With this object in view the invention consists in the construction,arrangement and combination of the several parts all of which will behereinafter described and afterward pointed out in the claims.

Numeral 1 indicates conventionally the vertical wall of the building towhich my mail chute is to be attached in any suitable manner.

It is to be understood that my device is to be made in sections whichare suitably fastened together, and placed in a vertical position in thebuilding, some of the sections having suitable apertures for theinsertion of mail matter.

Fastened to the wall or other part of the building in any suitablemanner are the angle irons 2 and 3 placed oppositely to each other asshown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, or in place thereof a single ohannelironmight be used or any suitable form of structural material. In the formshown the angle irons 2 and 3 are connected together by plates 4.

Mounted pivotally in the flanges of the angle irons not attached to thebuilding are the lock bolts 5, having at one end thereof a suitabledevice whereby the bolts may be.

manually turned as indicated at 6.

Suitably attached between the angle irons 2 and 3 are a number ofwrought iron pieces 7 shaped as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4:, having aconcavely curved section 8 and having the ends thereof bent at rightangles to the general direction of its length to form flanges 9 and 10,which bear against the upstanding flanges of the angle irons 2 and 3.

At either side of the bent pieces 8 in proximity to the ends 9 and 10are formed seats 11. the arc of a circle to correspond with thecurvature of the piece 8 and having the ends thereof 13 and 141 crimpedor pressed into the seats 11 of the piece 8, whereby this sheet metal isheld in position to form one side wall section of the chute.

The body of the chute proper 15, is formed in the arc of a circlecorresponding to the curvatures of the section 12 so that the interiorof the chute is substantially cylindrical. The ends of the portion 15 ofthe chute are adapted to fit in the seats formed by crimping the ends 13and 14 of the section 12 of the chute.

The portion of the chute 15 at the front side thereof is cut away as at16 for a portion of its length and has attached thereto on either edgeof. the said cut away portion suitably bent strips of metal 17 and 18 toform a seat for a glass panel 19, which is held in position in said seatby a suitable frame 20. In this frame 20 is an off-set contaiuing a mailreceiving aperture 21. Closely, but loosely surrounding the body of thechute section 15 are straps or bands of metal 22 the ends of which arebent at points 23 and 2 to engage the outside faces of the upturnedflanges of the angle irons 2 and 3. These ends of the bands 22 haveL-shaped slots 25 formed therein as shown in Fig. 1 which slots are ofsuflicient width to be engaged by the lock bolt- 5 which is half cutaway at the portions thereof passing through the ends of the band. Bythis means when the lock bolt 5 is turned into position shown in Fig. 1with the segmental portion of said bolt closely fitting the verticalportion of the slot 25, the band 22 engages and holds the chute section15 with the ends thereof in the seats 11 formed in the chute section 12.When, however, the bolt 5 is given a quarter turn so that the segmentalportion 26 of the bolt 5 is in a horizontal position the band 22 may bedrawn to the right in Fig. 2 to disengage the ends of the chute section15 from the section 12 whereupon the section 15 may be rotated through90 more or less to the position shown in Fig. 3, which presents the 12is a sheet of metal formed in open portion of said section to one sideof its supporting means, and allows the operator to insert his hand orother device for the purpose of cleaning or removing any obstructions inthe chute.

It should be noted that the horizontal portion of the slot 25 in theband 22 is of sufiicient length to allow of this lateral movement of theband.

In Fig. 4: is illustrated a slight modification of the device shown inFigs. 2 and 3. In this construction the band 22 does not engage thechute section 15 all around its periphery, but is of a largercircumference than the chute to leave a space 27 between the band andchute when the chute is in closed position in engagement with the othersection 12 of the chute, which in all respects is similar to the section12 in the preferred form. Pivoted to one of the angle irons 2' and 3 isa hasp 28 which is bent and curved as at 29 with an opening therein toengage a staple 80 on the chute section 15. An ordinary padlock or otherlooking means is to be inserted in the staple 30. In this constructionthe padlock 30 being unlocked, and the hasp raised to the dotted lineposition shown in Fig. 4-, the chute section 15 may be moved laterallytoward the right in said figure, and thereafter turned throughsubstantially 90 in the same man ner as described in connection with thestructure shown in Figs. 2 and 3. lhe construction shown in Fig. 4 isthe same in every respect to that shown. in Figs. 2 and 3, except forthe changes which have been stated.

I am aware that minor changes may be made in the construction,arrangement and combination of the several parts of my improved mailchute without, in the least, de parting from the nature and principle ofmy invention.

I claim:

1. In a mail chute, a fixed chute section, a movable chute sectionadapted to engage the fixed chute section, and a supporting bandsurrounding the movable chute sec tion to limit its movement, themovable section being adjustable laterally of the fixed chute sectionwithin said band.

2. In a mail chute, a fixed curved chute sectlon, a movable curved chutesection adapted to engage the fixed section, and a supporting bandsurrounding the movable section and limiting its lateral movement, thelast mentioned section being bodily movable laterally and rotatablerelatively to the fixed section within said band.

3. In a mail chute, a fixed chute section, a movable chute sectionadapted to be seated against the fixed section, supporting bandsurrounding the movable section, the last mentioned section beingadjustable laterally with relation to the fixed section within saidband, and a bolt passing through the ends of the band.

4:. In a mail chute, a fixed chute section, a movable chute sectionadapted to engage the fixed chute section, said movable chute sectionbeing bodily movable laterally away from the fixed chute section androtatable relatively thereto, and adjustable retaining means acting whenin one position to hold the movable chute section in engagement with thefixed chute section and when in the other position to permit lateralmovement of the movable chute section a limited distance.

5. In a. mail chute, a fixed portion, a bolt rotatably mounted therein,having a portion thereof cut away, and a movable portion adapted to beseated on the fixed portion, a band surrounding said movable portion,one end of the band having aslot therein adapted to engage the cut awayportion of the bolt.

6. In a mail chute, a fixed portion, a bolt rotatably mounted thereinhaving portions thereof cut away, a movable portion adapted to be seatedon the fixed portion, a band loosely surrounding the movable portion,and having L-ohaped slots in the ends thereof adapted to engage the cutaway portions of the bolt.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses, this 18th day of May. 1910.

ARTHUR K. SMITH.

Witnesses M. P. SMITH, J. W. CLIFT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

